Lithium-ion cells run data centres, lift back-ups and countless gadgets, yet faulty packs can vent flammable gases hotter than a kitchen flame. Fire and Rescue NSW recorded more than 270 battery-related fires in 2023—roughly five incidents a week—and early 2025 figures are climbing. The latest National Construction Code (NCC 2022) tightens the way designers accommodate batteries, and that shift is already expanding the checklist a certifier for fire safety certificate must tick before your building opens.